Companions, Mufassirin, and Books of Tafsir

Vocabulary flashcards covering the backgrounds, dates, and characteristics of key Companions, Quranic exegetes (mufassirin), and classic works of Tafsir.

Abdullah ibn Abbas

A cousin of the Prophet, son of al-Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib, and prominent scholar born around 619 CE in Mecca (7th century CE) and died in 68 AH / 687-688 CE in Ta'if (1st century AH / 7th century CE). Known as Tarjuman al-Qur'an and Habr al-Umma, he narrated well over a thousand hadiths, supported Ali, and served as governor of Basra.

Abdullah ibn Mas'ud

An early convert from the Hudhayl tribe, former shepherd, reciter, and jurist born around 594 CE in Mecca (6th century CE) and died in 32 AH / 653 CE in Medina (1st century AH / 7th century CE, buried in al-Baqi). He was the first to recite the Qur'an publicly in Mecca, fought at Badr and Uhud, and was sent by Umar to teach in Kufa, where he shaped the Kufan school of fiqh.

Mu'adh ibn Jabal

A Companion from the Khazraj tribe born around 605 CE in Medina (7th century CE) and died in 18 AH / 639 CE in the plague of Amwas in the Levant (1st century AH / 7th century CE). Singled out by the Prophet as the most knowledgeable in halal and haram, he served as a judge and teacher in Yemen and briefly took command in Syria following Abu Ubayda's death.

Hafiz Imaduddin Ibn Kathir

Hafiz Imaduddin Abu al-Fida Isma'il ibn Umar ibn Kathir al-Shafi'i (c. 701-774 AH; 8th century). A Shafi'i hadith scholar, historian, student of Ibn Taymiyyah, and author of Tafsir Ibn Kathir.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir

A four-volume commentary by Ibn Kathir that provides tafsir by narrations (summarizing each verse followed by reports from the Prophet, Companions, and followers). It summarizes Tafsir Ibn Jarir, scrutinizes narrations to remove weak and fabricated reports, and exercises extreme caution with Isra'iliyyat.

Imam Fakhruddin al-Razi

Full name Imam Fakhruddin Muhammad ibn Ziyauddin Umar al-Razi (544-606 AH, born in Rayy, 6th century AH). A renowned theologian, philosopher, and giant of the rational sciences who authored Tafsir Kabir.

Tafsir Kabir (Mafatih al-Ghayb)

A rational commentary by al-Razi unmatched in the sciences of reason, famous for legal reasoning, arguing against sects (Jahmiyyah, Mu'tazilah, Mujassimah), and detailing verse connections. Written up to Surah al-Fath and completed by al-Khawli (d. 639 AH) or al-Qamuli (777) its commentary on Surah Fatihah alone covers about 150 pages.

prominent features: explanation, grammatical composition and background of revelation & narrations related to them

Qadi Abu al-Su'ud al-Imadi

Full name Qadi Abu al-Su'ud Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Imadi al-Hanafi (died 951 AH; 9th-10th century AH). A Hanafi judge and Ottoman Shaykh al-Islam who authored Irshad al-Aql al-Salim.

Tafsir Abi al-Su'ud (Irshad al-Aql al-Salim)

A concise five-volume masterpiece of tafsir by Qadi Abu al-Su'ud that highlights subtle Qur'anic nuances, verse relationships, miraculous style, and Qur'anic order

Allamah Abu Abdullah al-Qurtubi

Full name Allamah Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Abi Bakr ibn Farah al-Qurtubi (died 671 AH Egypt; 7th century AH). A prominent Maliki scholar originally from Andalusia (Spain) who authored al-Jami' li-Ahkam al-Qur'an.

Tafsir al-Qurtubi (al-Jami' li-Ahkam al-Qur'an)

A twelve-volume commentary by al-Qurtubi aimed primarily at deriving legal rulings from Qur'anic verses for everyday life, while addressing vocabulary, grammar, rhetoric, narrations, and introductory Qur'anic sciences.

Allamah Mahmud Shihab al-Din al-Alusi

Full name Allamah Mahmud Shihab al-Din al-Alusi al-Hanafi (1217-1270 AH Baghdad; 13th century AH). A renowned Baghdadi Hanafi scholar who authored Ruh al-Ma'ani.

Allamah Mahmud Shihab al-Din al-Alusi

Full name Allamah Mahmud Shihab al-Din al-Alusi al-Hanafi (1217-1270 AH Baghdad; 13th century AH). A renowned Baghdadi Hanafi scholar who authored Ruh al-Ma'ani.

Allamah Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari

A major scholar with his own madhhab, muhaddith, and historian born in Amol and died in Baghdad (224-310 AH notes give 311 AH; 3rd-4th century AH). A prolific writer who averaged nearly 40 pages a day, he was falsely accused of being Shi'ah due to a namesake.

Tafsir Ibn Jarir al-Tabari (Jami' al-Bayan)

A primary foundational commentary for later works wherein al-Tabari compiles scholars' viewpoints, establishes his own preponderant view, and includes personal interpretations alongside narrations of varying gradations.

Imam Abu Bakr al-Jassas

Full name Imam Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn Ali al-Razi al-Jassas (c. 305-370 AH 4th century AH). A premier Hanafi jurist whose dialectic theology approaches faced criticism, known for authoring Ahkam al-Qur'an.

Ahkam al-Qur'an (al-Jassas)

A specialized tafsir by al-Jassas that focuses specifically on verses containing legal injunctions to deduce Hanafi juristic rulings, rather than explaining every verse in the Qur'an.

Allamah Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti

An Egyptian polymath (849-911 AH 9th-10th century AH) who completed Tafsir al-Jalalayn and authored al-Durr al-Manthur.

al-Durr al-Manthur

A massive repository by al-Suyuti compiling thousands of tafsir reports across every surah, citing only the author who narrated rather than full chains, and containing narrations of varying gradations.

Allamah Abu Hayyan al-Gharnati al-Andalusi

A Maliki scholar and master of syntax and rhetoric (balaghah) born near Granada and died in Cairo (654-745 AH / 1256-1344 CE, notes give 754 AH; 7th-8th century AH / 13th-14th century CE) who authored al-Bahr al-Muhit.

al-Bahr al-Muhit

A prominent lexical tafsir authored by Abu Hayyan al-Gharnati, celebrated for its extensive focus and discussions on Arabic grammar, syntax, and rhetoric.

Al-Qadi Thana'ullah Panipati

A Mughal Indian scholar, expert in Hanafi fiqh and tasawwuf, and student of Shah Waliullah al-Dihlawi (1143-1225 AH / 1730-1810 CE; 12th-13th century AH / 18th-19th century CE) who authored al-Tafsir al-Mazhari.

al-Tafsir al-Mazhari

A lucid, clear, and comprehensive commentary authored by Qadi Thana'ullah Panipati and named after his spiritual master Mirza Mazhar Janejanan al-Dehlawi, featuring hadiths selected after scrutinizing their sources.